What Are Swarmers?

A swarmer is a winged insect that is produced by a colony of social insects for the purpose of establishing new nests. These are male and female reproductives that swarm, mate, and seek out nesting sites quickly. Today, we're going to look at termite swarmers and what you need to know about them to protect your Bellevue home.

The termite swarmers we see in Bellevue usually come from one of three termite species: Reticulitermes flavipes, Reticulitermes virginicus, and Reticulitermes hageni. While these species are slightly different in appearance, they are all tiny, dark insects, with wings that extend beyond their abdomens. And, unlike ant swarmers, the tips of termite swarmer wings are round, due to the way they stack on top of each other.

If you see swarmers crawling on the outside of your home, it is important to understand that this is not usually a sign of an impending infestation. Swarms don't last long or travel far. When they appear, it is usually near their point of origin. This makes them a sign of a current infestation. It is also important to understand that termite colonies don't immediately produce swarmers. It can take years. So the appearance of swarmers is a warning that a mature colony may be somewhere on your property.

Subterranean termites are a billion dollar problem that plagues U.S. property owners. When these insects feed, extensive damage can occur. Termites don't nibble on the outside of the wood in a home; they feed on the inside. This causes support beams and the studs of load-bearing walls to weaken and warping to occur in the structure. Over time, the weight of a home becomes its own worst enemy.

While swarmers are a sign of infestation, it is not a good way to find out you have a termite problem. Since termite swarms only last about 30 minutes, it is easy to miss a swarm when it happens. And since termite swarmers are produced by a mature colony, they've already had years to damage your home. The better way to guard your Bellevue home is to have a professional install the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. With Sentricon®, you'll have protection and monitoring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no way for these quiet homewreckers to sneak up on you and feed on your equity. And, you don't have to take our word for it. We're so confident that Sentricon® with Always Active™ works, we provide a $1,000,000 Termite Damage Repair Warranty. That's termite protection you can trust.

For more information about Sentricon® with Always Active™ or to establish protection for your Bellevue home, reach out to All-American Pest Control. Our certified technicians are looking forward to assisting you.